Rajasthani women's songs, which depict women as both sensual and domestic, and positive,

mirror the conflicted cultural perception of Hindu women. These songs depict women as
sexually playful, exuberant, and celebrating their bodies' capacities for both erotic engagement
and childbirth. These songs' folklore stands in stark contrast to other studies' depressing
depictions of suppressed female sexuality.
The songs also portray strong cultural motifs like unapproved relationships resulting in
pregnancy, underscoring the persistence of opposing ideas within the songs despite the social
expectations of modesty and shame placed on women. Rajasthani women's songs reveal a
sophisticated understanding of female sexuality and desire through the cohabitation of sensual
themes and values of wifely devotion.
Kesya is a genre of folk songs performed by Rajasthani women during specific annual festivals and
celebrations. These songs are characterized by their rowdy tunes and are typically sung by mixed-
caste groups of women rather than female kin.. Kesya songs are performed during festive seasons
such as Holi, Sitala Worship, Gangaur, and Bach Bahras, reflecting the cultural significance of these
events in Rajasthani society.

The section talks about the importance of kesya songs in Rajasthani culture, emphasizing how
household chores and sexual pleasure may coexist, as well as how female sexuality is celebrated in
a group setting. The kesya verse's lyrics acknowledge sexual pleasure in addition to the menial task
of drying greens, signifying the fusion of women's everyday obligations and sexual desires for the
benefit of their family. Even though female sexuality is freely expressed in kesya songs, neither men
nor women view it as harmful because it is portrayed as non-threatening.

Moreover, the kesya songs are explained as belonging to a theological complex that places a strong
emphasis on community well-being, fertility, and life prevailing over death. These songs are sung at
festivals that celebrate the prosperity of agriculture and the renewal of life. The text also highlights
the ways in which various song genres—such as those featuring the bridegroom prince and the new-
mother queen—depict women's roles as mothers and sexual partners, highlighting the connection
between motherhood and sexual fulfillment.

Overall, the kesya songs' folklore challenges perceptions of women as destructive or insatiably
sexual by presenting female sexuality as active, pleasurable, and procreative. These songs' erotic
imaginations portray a mutual enjoyment of sex and offer a more grounded, human perspective on
desire that is constructive rather than destructive.